diff --git a/beets/ui/commands.py b/beets/ui/commands.py
index 2a37a113d..f3386cf71 100644
--- a/beets/ui/commands.py
+++ b/beets/ui/commands.py
@@ -1485,7 +1485,7 @@ def config_edit():
     try:
         if not os.path.isfile(path):
             open(path, 'w+').close()
-        util.interactive_open(path, editor)
+        util.interactive_open([path], editor)
     except OSError as exc:
         message = "Could not edit configuration: {0}".format(exc)
         if not editor:
diff --git a/beets/util/__init__.py b/beets/util/__init__.py
index 61a95baa2..158a6c8e1 100644
--- a/beets/util/__init__.py
+++ b/beets/util/__init__.py
@@ -735,8 +735,8 @@ def open_anything():
     return base_cmd
 
 
-def interactive_open(target, command=None):
-    """Open the file `target` by `exec`ing a new command. (The new
+def interactive_open(targets, command=None):
+    """Open the files in `targets` by `exec`ing a new command. (The new
     program takes over, and Python execution ends: this does not fork a
     subprocess.)
 
@@ -757,5 +757,6 @@ def interactive_open(target, command=None):
         base_cmd = open_anything()
         command = [base_cmd, base_cmd]
 
-    command.append(target)
+    command += targets
+
     return os.execlp(*command)
diff --git a/beetsplug/play.py b/beetsplug/play.py
index e6611ad3f..038bfd42d 100644
--- a/beetsplug/play.py
+++ b/beetsplug/play.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             'command': None,
             'use_folders': False,
             'relative_to': None,
+            'raw': False,
         })
 
     def commands(self):
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         command_str = config['play']['command'].get()
         use_folders = config['play']['use_folders'].get(bool)
         relative_to = config['play']['relative_to'].get()
+        raw = config['play']['raw'].get(bool)
         if relative_to:
             relative_to = util.normpath(relative_to)
 
@@ -91,6 +93,8 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
         else:
             selection = lib.items(ui.decargs(args))
             paths = [item.path for item in selection]
+            if relative_to:
+                paths = [relpath(path, relative_to) for path in paths]
             item_type = 'track'
 
         item_type += 's' if len(selection) > 1 else ''
@@ -111,22 +115,29 @@ class PlayPlugin(BeetsPlugin):
             if ui.input_options(('Continue', 'Abort')) == 'a':
                 return
 
-        # Create temporary m3u file to hold our playlist.
-        m3u = NamedTemporaryFile('w', suffix='.m3u', delete=False)
-        for item in paths:
-            if relative_to:
-                m3u.write(relpath(item, relative_to) + b'\n')
-            else:
-                m3u.write(item + b'\n')
-        m3u.close()
-
         ui.print_(u'Playing {0} {1}.'.format(len(selection), item_type))
+        if raw:
+            open_args = paths
+        else:
+            open_args = self._create_tmp_playlist(paths)
 
-        self._log.debug('executing command: {} {}', command_str, m3u.name)
+        self._log.debug('executing command: {} {}', command_str,
+                        b'"' + b' '.join(open_args) + b'"')
         try:
-            util.interactive_open(m3u.name, command_str)
+            util.interactive_open(open_args, command_str)
         except OSError as exc:
             raise ui.UserError("Could not play the music playlist: "
                                "{0}".format(exc))
         finally:
-            util.remove(m3u.name)
+            if not raw:
+                self._log.debug('Removing temporary playlist: {}',
+                                open_args[0])
+                util.remove(open_args[0])
+
+    def _create_tmp_playlist(self, paths_list):
+        # Create temporary m3u file to hold our playlist.
+        m3u = NamedTemporaryFile('w', suffix='.m3u', delete=False)
+        for item in paths_list:
+            m3u.write(item + b'\n')
+        m3u.close()
+        return [m3u.name]
diff --git a/docs/plugins/play.rst b/docs/plugins/play.rst
index 08172c7c9..9af886c13 100644
--- a/docs/plugins/play.rst
+++ b/docs/plugins/play.rst
@@ -44,6 +44,9 @@ configuration file. The available options are:
   paths to each track on the matched albums. Enable this option to
   store paths to folders instead.
   Default: ``no``.
+- **raw**: Instead of creating a temporary m3u playlist and then opening it,
+  simply call the command with the paths returned by the query as arguments.
+  Default: ``no``.
 
 Optional Arguments
 ------------------
diff --git a/test/test_util.py b/test/test_util.py
index 464c7e678..324a4d589 100644
--- a/test/test_util.py
+++ b/test/test_util.py
@@ -43,11 +43,11 @@ class UtilTest(unittest.TestCase):
     @patch('beets.util.open_anything')
     def test_interactive_open(self, mock_open, mock_execlp):
         mock_open.return_value = 'tagada'
-        util.interactive_open('foo')
+        util.interactive_open(['foo'])
         mock_execlp.assert_called_once_with('tagada', 'tagada', 'foo')
         mock_execlp.reset_mock()
 
-        util.interactive_open('foo', 'bar')
+        util.interactive_open(['foo'], 'bar')
         mock_execlp.assert_called_once_with('bar', 'bar', 'foo')
 
     def test_sanitize_unix_replaces_leading_dot(self):